The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-08-13
TELEGRAPHIC.
THE RAILWAY ACCIDENT
Full and narrowing Details
Given By Eye Wit
neSSeS.
WHAT THE RAILROAD AU-
THORITIES SAY.
POSSIBILITY OF THE BRIDGE
HAVING BEEN SET ON
FIRE BY ROBBERS.
Full and narrowing Particulars of the
Terrible Railroad Accident.
lBy telegraph 10 the Asheyille CItize

I Full and narrowing Particulars OF th'
Terrible Railroad Accident.
(By telegraph to the Asheville Citizen)
CHICAGO, Aug. ia dispatch
from Forrest, Ill, says: "The news
of the railroad disaster arrived a
Chatsworth about forty minutes aft
er its occurrence. The peaceablt
residents of the little town were sud
denly awakened by an alarm which
was rung simultaneously from al
the alarm boxes in town. After 6
few minutes everybody was on his
or her feet, and people were run,
ming through the streets from all di
rections, all inquiring where the fire
was. When the real facts were
learned another alarm followed
which was soon vigorously re.ech,
oed by the bells of all the churches
Of town. The people made a rush
for the road to Piper City. Doctor
Vaughan, Of Chatsworth, was almost
the first to appear at the scene Of
the wreck. He was seen by re-
porter and told briefly what he saw
when l arrived l found there great
confusion,' he said. Hell itsall
could not present a more horrible
picture men and women fighting
with death and ready to clutch at q
straw to be saved. One man held
his dead wife and dead little child
in his arms, while his own feet were
broken and caught in the wreck.
relieved the unfortunate man of his
burden, and helped to drag him out
and bring him to sleeper. One ot
the greatest misfortunes;was the fact
that the wreck took place almost in
a desert. 1t was impossible to ac-
corl the wounded sufficient assist
arce. There were no ambulances-
10 ..ting to carry them on; they were
dragged and pushed, and this ac-
counts for the great number of peo-
pie who succumbed to theiI
wounds"
Fire Marshal Henry II. Game, ot
Chatsworth, says he was the first to
arrive at the scene. 81 had no time
to observe anything that transpired
around me-" he said. Myself and
my entire force were working like
beavers all the time, and in course
Of half an hour we had thirty~three
people, killed and wounded, dragged
out Of the debris. Four cars were
standing on the track, and the only
thing knew about them is that !
carried the wounded men and wo'
men there"
The work Of identifying the dead
is going on more rapidly now, and
will probably be completed to-day
A special to the Times from For
est, Ill, says The coroner's in.
quest on the bodies of those killed
in the disaster Wednesday night
which began last evening, was held
on the top floor ofthe public school.
house. There were present only the
coroner, the jury, President Leon
ard of the Toledo, Peoria & Western
railroad, Superintendent Armstrong
of the same road, Master of Bridges
Markly, Justice of the Peace Estes,
and several reporters OF the Chicago
and Peoria papers.
The first witness called was Super.
intendent Armstrong. He testified
that he was on the fated train, which
consisted of 6 sleeping cars, 2 chair
cars, 5 passenger coaches, one spe
cial car and one baggage car, and
was drawn by engine No. 13, engin.
eer McClintock and fireman Apple,
green, and engine No 81, engineer
Southerland. Engine No. 13 was
next to the baggage car. The name
of the fireman of engine No. 81 he
did not know. His car was next tC
the baggage car. The train lef
Chatsworth about 11:45 Wednesday
night and after leaving he went into
his own car and sat there three o.
four minutes. The next instant The
car passed over the burning bridge
He was thrown out through one O
the windows into a hedge fence. HI
got up and asked one of the firvmer
where the first engine was, and wa'
told engineer Switzerland had gono
TO Gilman for help. The enginee
cam in about three quarters of al
hour with doctors. The wounded
wc!e taken out of the wreck wher'
possible and sent 10 Chatswnrth anC
Piper City. while all of the deac
were sent to ChatsWorth. Th'
bridge was only partially demolish
ed when witness first saw it, tn
stringers at both ends having gon
down. Dust and brush were throw
on the flames. The engine set fir
to nothing, and only one car and
Pullman sleeper were slightly burn
ed. The witness met a section fore
man near the wreck after the occur
renee and the latter said he wen
over the section at $50 Wednesday
! and there was no fire there then
The witness had warned him t
have the section hands 90 over th
section after quitting work, knowiu
that the excursion train was gein